Kicker locks and security

[Ron on Meander]

After my experience of having my 9.9 kicker walk away from the back of my boat while in my driveway, I want to try and find a way to secure the new one even better. Its not really feasable to remove it after each use because of the electrical cables and hydraulic hoses to the TR1. If anyone has any leads to good locks or methods I'm sure all ears. Maybe we can come up with an idea that will prevent someone else from having their kicker grow legs.
Ron

[Anita Marie]

Ron, Lyle from Bess C gave me this idea for a lock. I run it thru the engine and then lock it to the stern eye. I also run a cable thru the engine and then around the axle of the trailer. I know it sounds like overkill but after losing an engine I going to make it as hard as I can for the creeps.

Fred

[thataway]

Unfortuately if a thief wants your motor it is going to be pretty hard to prevent them from getting it. Hack saws and vise grips make short order of the standard engine "locks". Any cable or chain can be cut very quickly.

I have peened over the head of bolts holding motors on, put on security nuts, requiring keys to unlock, and have used the lock-tite which you need a torch to break loose on nuts. I think that bolting the kicker to the bracket--and then making sure that the bracket is as secure as possiable will help. However you will have to take the same bolt type precautions on the bolts of the bracket, because most of these are fairly easy to take apart!

During my life, I have had Boats, trailers and RV's stolen--and concluded that if someone really wants it badly enough, they will figure out a way--you can only slow them down!. All of them had standard locks, and even defeat devices--but were still stolen.

[drjohn71a]

The problem with increasing the heftiness of locks, bolts, etc., has been shown to me on several occasions over the years - the thieves just do more damage to your cabin door, your transom, and/or your instrument console.

With bolt cutters, portable saws, diamond saws, etc., many lock systems are easily beatable. And, if you actually find a lock that cannot easily be beat, as I had done once, then they just take and axe and a sledge hammer to your cabin door and literally chop the instrument console in half. Considering how little insurance paid on all that damage, I am considering just leaving the cabin unlocked and putting a ribbon on the instruments! John

[thataway]

I have successfully (at least I think successfully, since the alarm was tripped once and nothing was stolen) several different schemes for alarms.

The simplist one is to take a piece of monofiliment line across the cockpit or other area you want to protect. One end is fixed, the other is attatched to a small plastic wedge (I use a 1/2" wide strip cut off a bondo spreader). This wedge is inserted under a microswitch, which opens the cirucit. When the wedge is removed, the micro switch closes, and then activates a 12 volt relay, which then sets off a siren and strobe light (both available at J C Whitney auto parts. I have either used the house battery (there is no current draw unless the alarm is tripped), or a battery pack of two 6 volt latern batteries in series. This can also be utalized with a motion detector, in the cabin would be best, since you don't want to set it off with insects etc. On the new boat, the Speco loud hailer has a built in circuit with a 125 dB siren, which could easily be used.

I have also usse the monofiliment/microswitch for dinghy and other portable equiptment protection. I made up a portable one to demonistrate for neighborood watch for about $50, including the battery pack a few years ago--probably 25% more now...